Jasper County Democrat, Volume 15, Number 71, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 December 1912 — THE SAVIOR'S TEACHING BROOKLYN TABERNACLE BIBLE STUDIES [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

THE SAVIOR'S TEACHING BROOKLYN TABERNACLE BIBLE STUDIES

GREATEST IN THE KINGDOM. Matthew xviii, 1-14 —Dec. 8. “7n Beaten their anycls do always behold the face of By Father.”—V. 10. PERHAPS It was the fact that Peter, James and John had been favored more than the others on several occasions that led to the query which opens today’s study: “Who, then, is the greatest In the Kingdom of Heaven?” Jesus, calling to Him a little child, set him In the midst of them and said, “Except ye turn [from this spirit of self-seeking] and become as little children, ye shall in no wise enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.” Whoever would be greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven should therefore become as humble as this little child.

A little child asks questions; It seeks Instruction; it does not profess and boast wisdom or knowledge-it is can-did-truthful. The Master’s lesson is that whoever would become a child of God and be developed for the glorious position in the

Kingdom to which we were called, must become childlike must turn away from all pride, selfish ambitions and hypocrisies and pretentions. They must confess their littleness and ignorance, and go humbly to the Lord for Instruction.

Any who refuse to adopt this proper, childlike spirit will be refused the opportunities of the Kingdom, for God will have none others—none others can be taught of God, they will not learn the lessons necessary, under the arrangements of this present time. “One Such Little Child."

We are not to understand that little children are members of Christ’s Kingdom class. The Lord is seeking for mature men and women, who have a childlike mind, and who in gladness and simplicity of heart accept His Message. “Whoso shall receive one such little child In My Name, recelveth Me.” “Whosoever shall offend,” injure, “one of these little ones that believe in Me. It were bettei' for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck and he were sunk In the depths of the sea.”

If some one were drowned in the sea, it would terminate his present life, but it would not at all endanger his future life. A future life, by a Restitution awakening, is assured to Adam and every member of his race. But he who injures one of the Lord’s little ones comes under such a measure of Divine displeasure that it will affect his Interests beyond the grave. He will be eld responsible for his deeds in proportion as he realizes what he is doing when he injures the Lord’s saints. The Lord declares that His faithful ones are as precious to Him as the apple of His eye, and that all their interests are subject to Divine supervision. Doubtless many saints from Jesus day down have been persecuted ig-

norantly, and the Lord will have mercy upon those persecutors; but some of the persecutors have had such light as to make them responsible; and it is i of this class that bur lesson speaks. Cut Off Hand or Foot. Here the Master brought In a saying which has perplex-

ed many: “If thy foot cause thee to stumble, cut it off, and cast it from thee; it is better to enter life maimed, or halt, than having two hands or two feet to be cast Into everlasting tire, if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out. and cast it from thee: it is better to pater

4 Into life with one eye, than that having two eyes thou be cast Into Gehenna fire.”

Those who fail to remember that Jesus spoke to the people only in parables, will be liable to stumble ovei these words His teaching is this: If you have anything in your make-up dear to you as a right hand dr foot or eye, that is likely to cause you to stumble and fall to enter the Kingdom, you would better cut off that tendency. no matter what it costs. Would it not be better to enter into life than to go into Gehenna tire, the Second Death? Surely! Having put our hand to the plow, having become followers of Jesus, we must either go on and be conquerors, or must perish!

How careful the Lord's people should be not to stumble one another, even one of the least, of these little ones! Jesus suggesto(l that a shepherd losing one of his sheep would leave all the others to go and seek that one; and he rejoices specially at, its recovery. So we, the followers of Jesus, should remember that we are ,all sheep under the great Shepherd; and that He has the spirit of loving Interest and care which would go after the straying sheep; and we should have thia same spirit. All the Ldrd's true followers are subject to angel care. The messengers who have guarded over the lives of God’s saintly few always have access to the Heavenly Kether's presence, to make known the necessities of those whom they represent.' Oh. how blessed the privilege of being children of Godt

"Except ye become as little children.”

"Go after the straying sheep.”